Opinion
RSG And Palm Oil Production
Agriculture has since ancient times been an important human activity. Its importance to man is in various aspects, such as, being the source of many kinds of food for the nourishment of the human body, the provision of employment for millions of people, and producing different types of raw materials for industrial use.
Hence, both the pubic and private sectors are involved in agricultural research and production if the growing human population is to have enough food to eat, if the growth in unemployment is to be largely checked, and, if many industries are to have appropriate and sufficient raw materials for the production of goods.
The importance of agriculture is better appreciated in times of food scarcity, a situation that compels those threatened by starvation to shift their priorities from the purchase of not so essential items to more food to stem the pains of going on an empty stomach.
In Rivers State, the land is so fertile as to easily support the production of many kinds of food and cash crops. But the people’s interest in farming has largely waned owing to a number of reasons, including the fact that farming is usually labour intensive. It has therefore been seen as an occupation of drudgery. Youths, who form the most energetic component of the population of the state, are not prepared for such drudgery. The popular thing among them as far as occupational pursuit is concerned is the search for white collar jobs. The weak and the elderly, who out of having no choice, are now mostly involved in food production.
But the prevailing uncheering circumstance would likely not last for long, as the administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi is encouraging agricultural production in the state by providing various incentives to those prepared to engage in the noble profession of farming. It is doing this through the, training of farmers, provision of loan facilities, rendering advisory services, and ensuring the availability of necessary equipment.
One area where the administration is making noticeable progress as far as increase food production is concerned is as regards palm oil production. Scarcely is there any home in the state where palm oil is not frequently used in the domestic cuisine. Reddish in colour, palm oil is extracted from the fruit of the oil palm tree, a graceful tree commonly found in the forests of most parts of the state. It’s trunk is straight, and at its top is a crown of petiolated leaves running out from the two opposite sides of a long stalk.
When the wind blows strongly the stalk of leaves sways with an attraction that announces God’s creative genius. The fruits of this tree are in bunches, and when ripe their usually partly reddish skin has beneath it a mesocarp rich in this kind of edible oils, that gave to this part of the country, in the days of yore, the name “Oil Rivers”.
The place of palm oil in industrial production is as important as what it can give to our cookery. Palm oil is used in making soap, margarine, and candles, and for other industrial purposes. Its inner kernel is also rich in oil that is used in making margarine, cooking fats and detergents. And with the extraction of oil from the kernels the residue is used as livestock feed; while the tapped sap from the tree is the popular palm wine that pleases the palate. Moreover, from the leaves of this tree comes brooms that keep millions of homes clean, especially in many parts of West Africa. These are just some of the products of the oil palm tree that have given it exceptional significance in its tropical home.
But its ripe fruit is so much sought after, not only by birds, snakes and other wild animals but also by man. The growing demand for palm oil for cooking and industrial use has therefore called for more efficient ways of processing this fruit for oil. It is in this direction that the Rivers State Government has exhibited remarkable initiative designed to improve palm oil production in the state.
Already, it has taken a crucial step as far as the oil palm is concerned in its agricultural scheme by planning to buy back the shares that were sold to private Rivers State investors in its oil palm estate, RISONPALM to enable investors have interest in this massive oil palm farm. This is a move that would attract private investors to invest in RISONPALM, thereby turn around the fortunes of the estate for the better. This turn around is expected in the long run to be manifested in increased production of palm oil and other products.
Furthermore, Government has built 16 oil mills across the state. The process on the test running of the mills has commenced. Speaking during the inspection of the Obeakpu Ndoki palm oil mill, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Emmanuel Chinda explained that the projects represent Government’s commitment towards the actualization of its Accelerated Development Oil Palm Initiative (ADOPI).
He had rightly stated during the inspection that Rivers State was a major palm belt, and that the projects would add value to the output of farmers in the state. Besides this, it should be noted that these mills are bringing decency and modernisation to palm oil production in the state. Comparatively, the age-long traditional process of production is characterized by so much unhealthiness and application of human labour.
What the State Government has done in respect of building the Oil Palm Mills would no doubt be of benefit to many palm oil producers in the state, as their income is likely to improve through the use of these factories. And with these mills now being ready for full operation a major leap has been taken in diversifying the economy of the state from the petroleum sector to agriculture. With further reasoning, it could be found that the economic potentials which the oil palm presents to the state are not being allowed to waste, for Government has through the installation of these mills begun the singing of a new song that tells the people that their lives could be made better if they neglect not the oil palm tree.
We commend Gov-ernment’s initiative in setting up these palm oil mills as they would give to the people a very fine grade of palm oil, as they point to the fact that agricultural economics could still find a good footing in the oil palm tree, and as they depict improvement in the process of producing the commodity in the state. The installed equipment should be protected against vandalization by the communities where they are sited so that they would for so many years serve the purpose for which they were built.
Kikpoye-Jonathan is a staff of the Rivers State Ministry of Information.
Neville Kikpoye-Jonathan
Quote:”Communities have rights to peace, safety, and quality of life. Noise pollution, crowds, or other impacts from religious activities can affect these rights. Balancing these interests requires consideration and dialogue”.
“All work and no play”, its said, “makes Jack a dull boy.” Despite this age-long maxim that recognises the role of play in early childhood development, play appears to be eluding many Nigerian kids. The deprivation of play opportunities comes in different forms for the Nigerian child depending on family’s social setting or status, but the effect is much the same. For children in Nigerian poor families, life is becoming as much a hassle as it is for their struggling parents. Due to harsh economic conditions, many families resort to engaging their kids prematurely in trading activities especially in hawking, to help boost family revenues, when these kids should be enjoying leisure after school. Some of these children barely attend schools while being forced to spend much of their childhood hustling in the streets. For children from well-off families, time could be as crunchy as it is for their busy parents when, obsessed with setting agenda for the future of their kids, parents arrange stringent educational regiment too early for their kids.
These group of children are made to get-off the bed by 5.30am every weekday, get ready for private school buses that call at 6.00am, otherwise report by however means to school at 7.20am.The situation is worse for kids in the city of Lagos where the need to beat urban traffic rush-hours is very high. Most children are further subjected to extra hours of lessons after school at 2.00pm, only to be released with loads of homework. On many occasions children who leave home for school at 6.30am get back by 3.30pm. With hardly enough time to eat, do school assignments and take afternoon naps, these children hardly had time for plays before dinners. In Nigeria, kids of ages between 3 and 12 spend averages of 9 hours a day and 45 hours a week to and from schools, and additional hours doing home assignments and domestic jobs, whereas their peers in developed countries spend about half that duration and have more time for leisure.
Any remaining spare time left after school work or street hustle is further stolen, when kids who usually are fascinated by gadgets, are exposed to household electronics like phones, tablets and gaming consoles. Electronic games may create a sense of leisure, but the difference with human interactions is that kids doing games interface mostly with machines or with programme structured in ways that entrap a child’s pysch directionally, according to the game’s programming, in ways that may not encourage independent thinking. Moreso, attraction to such gadgets displaces kids’ attention from important television and radio programmes. The prevalent tight, academic schedules for some Nigerian kids, though intended for academic excellence, encroaches on childhood leisure time needed to achieve an all-round childhood development, and could make children to resent formal education altogether. Besides, academic excellence or economic pursuit, is not all there is to living a well-nurtured life.
Children’s leisure time, defined as time left over after sleeping, eating, personal hygiene and attending school or day-care, is very crucial to childhood development. Sociologists recommend that children should have at least 40 per ceny of the day as leisure. According to Berry Brazelton, a former pediatrician at Harvard Medical School, “Play is the most powerful way a child explores the world and learns about him or herself.” Unstructured play encourages independent thinking and allows the young to negotiate their relationships with their peers, and in the process build self-confidence and self-control. Play is one of the important ways in which young children gain essential knowledge and skills. Leisure time enhances learning as fun enables children to learn at their own level and pace. Young children naturally explore and learn many skills by making cognitive connections from events that catch their attention.
Unstructured plays help children developed their cognitive, physical and communication skills that make them acquire social qualities necessary in navigating relationships in adult life. Plays enable children assess how others feel and learn perspectives as well as empathy through observing differences in facial expressions, body language and even tone of voice, which helps them copy how to express themselves to others, and therefore develop socially acceptable behavours that build relationships. In cooperative activities, children willingly take things in turn and may delegate roles. Children can also share the glory of winnings through competitive games, which is all great for working together in task sharing. Aside encouraging parents to ensure adequate leisure time for their kids at home, schools should make plays and exercises an integral part of the educational curriculum. The educational curriculum set by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) includes specific training durations and break periods, as well as sporting activities, as part of the school system.
Due to poor government funding, sports in public schools have declined, while most private schools lack sporting infrastructure or even play grounds. These make recreational activities and sports implementation almost impossible in schools. Also, the increasing rate of urbanisation in Nigerian communities is gradually eroding ancient playgrounds, while established urban centres have lost community playgrounds. With tightening apartment spaces now being the norm in most urban residential areas, many kids are forced to wriggle within burglary-proof enclosures. Nigerian governments and the relevant agencies should ensure that existing child labour protection laws, educational and urban development codes are implemented in the country, to enable proper nurturing of children as the future stakeholders of our society. Private schools, especially, should be supervised to ensure they follow the educational curriculum standards set by NERDC.
In a bid to impress parents and draw more patronage as better option than public schools, private schools, most of whom operate in cramped environments, have continued to set high regiments of training schedules beyond the capacity of most kids, and even encourage enrollment of pre-school age kids who can not sit still to listen for an extended periods of time. Schools, from creche to secondary levels, without playgrounds and recreational facilities should not be allowed to operate, and should be made to understand and implement appropriate curriculum and training durations. Many Nigerian kids, whether from rich or poor families, appear to have been set-up inadvertently, in the same leisure denial that affects their parents. All work and no play could lead to some messed-up kids who grow up not understanding social cues, and being unemotional and self-centered, manifest later as obsessive-compulsive adults.
By: Joseph Nwankwo
We thank God who is above all human contrivance and arrogance. Congratulations, Your Excellency Amaopusenibo Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara. Your victory takes us back to the Bible as a living document of a God that rules in the affairs of all His creation. In a manner of speaking, welcome back from your first war with Phillistines, Your Excellency! Yes, first example is David and Goliath! And like David, Your Excellency stands over Goliath in victory. But that is not enough. Our real enemy is that Your Excellency is Governor of a State with a wretched economy. Indigenes of Your State are today reduced to battalions of beggars waiting for who will hire their loyalty on the usual “pay-as-you-go” basis.
Your Excellency, it brings us to another Bible- based parallel. Conscientious Rivers indigenes above 50, should identify with and commit our all to this second parallel. It is to liberate the economy and people of Rivers people from 23 years enslavement and poverty, for us to regain our dignity and pride. When the economy of Egypt was drifting into a disaster zone, even Pharaoh did not know it. He also did not know what to do. But God sent a Joseph to build the economy into a fortress of good fortune that overcame the economic and social disaster Egypt did not know was ahead. Your Excellency for 23 years, Rivers State has been ruled without any logical, credible and consistent PLAN of how to overcome mass poverty from our dehydrated local economies.
Your Excellency, Rivers State cannot survive one month without Federal allocation! So called IGR only about 10 per cent of Federal allocation.It is also not based on what we produce but on tax from other people’s productivity that pass through our State. Pharaoh did not know what to do in the case of Egypt. May it please God to position another Joseph in Governor Siminalayi Joseph Fubara to heal Rivers State and build an economy that all Africa will come to access in order to chart a new course out of worsening economic hardship that is caused by near zero investment in productivity and endemic reckless looting. They are the twin chambers nursing a corporate cancer unfolding across Nigeria and Africa. The hard work begins today, Your Excellency.
We need an economic blueprint that will enrich every Rivers senatorial district from investment to grow productivity and to enrich every Rivers person from career-based productive labour, just as Pharaoh was enriched by Joseph’s economic Blueprint. Let Rivers State stop the trend of waiting the lives of young Rivers people recruited by Phillistines into cultism, thuggery and easy money, as a career. These Phillistines believe they have only lost one phase of many legal battles and battles by other means. But from comments in the public media, their eyes are fixed on 4-years of war and more! Your Excellency, we the people will not let you forget what you owe us. We have to make unbelievers see that your leadership is different and that we are uprooting the old order of an unproductive Feudal System. That system makes a few persons and their cronies to monopolise our collective wealth, while the majority are left in misery. Let’s put an end to enslavement by cabals and mass poverty in Rivers State. That is when the Phillistines will surrender.
By: Amaopusenibo Brown